Eighteen quakes follow Friday's initial earthquake

A 4.5-magnitude earthquake shook southern Illinois early Monday, the latest in a string of quakes that have rattled the region since last week, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.

The quake -- the 18th since a magnitude 5.2 hit the area Friday morning -- was centered about six miles below ground and about 37 miles (60 km) north-northwest of Evansville, Indiana, or about 131 miles (211 km) east of St. Louis.

It struck at 12:38 a.m. local time (1:38 a.m. ET). There were no immediate reports of damage.

"Everything just started rumbling and things at my house started shaking," said Keith Potter of Santa Claus, Indiana, about 55 miles southeast of the quake's epicenter. "The computer was shaking on top of my desk."

"I thought, 'Here we go again,'" said Potter, who also felt Friday's initial earthquake and many of those that have followed. "The big concern is ... is this just the beginning of the 'big one?'"

The 18 quakes that followed Friday's moderate temblor have predominantly been minor earthquakes -- magnitude 3.9 and below.

Friday's quake was the strongest to hit in the region in 40 years.

There were reports of minor damage in the region.

Video from Louisville, Kentucky showed debris from the ornamental facade of a building's roofline that fell onto a sidewalk and shattered.

People as far north as Chicago and as far west as St. Louis reported feeling the initial quake, the USGS reported.

"The largest historical earthquake in the region -- magnitude 5.4 -- damaged southern Illinois in 1968," the USGS said.

Gray News Staff

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